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Hi. Question. Between the low and high counts, what was the time span? 2 years? 3? Less than 1 year? That info would be helpful.

I myself am a pretty big fan of unprocessed food and the holistic cosmos in general. I had 42 CD4 and 100,000 VL back in September 2005 and, as of June 2006, I'm at 419 CD4 (18%) and VL is <70. But whole foods are not the only holistics I do. That's just me.

Note for any newly poz or denialists whom might be reading:Foods can NOT suppress HIV progression. HIV medications suppress HIV progression. If you're HIV + and not on meds, you must must must talk with your doctor about the right time to start meds

think it makes sense that if you eat better quality food, you will have better quality health...food is one of the most powerful medicines we have available to us (in my humble, green-lentil eating opinion anyway) I do the whole organic/whole food thing, just because a) my body seems to have a hard time with processed food and b) i prefer to be in control of which substances/chemicals i am exposed to think it's about getting a balance, knowing and providing what your body needs to stay well + feel good... 'n then perhaps, maybe, the odd bit of cake or ice cream just to feed the soul...

Both our VL's are steadily undetectable (in the past, the VL's have moved up and down by several thousand and undetectable).

Clarke: Congrats. What meds if you don't mind me asking? Yogurt (sugarless of course) and lacto-fermented vegetables are two of the best foods available because of their relation to gut flora within our gastrointestinal tracts

Truvada, AZT, Viramune, Neurontin (neuropathy in lower legs and feet), Elavil (25mg.), Lorazepam (2mg.) (the last 2 at night to help me sleep).

We mainly thought it was "coincidental". Understanding though, that the animals of the meats have no growth hormones, antibiotics or other "fun" type things fed to them. We have seen that these meats cook differently, and most of all, our digestive system "acts" differently (in a more positive fashion). Oh, have any of you tried Water Buffalo Yogurt?

My wife is on: Kaletra, Invarase, Elavil, Neurontin, Acyclovir and Yasmin to regulate her periods. She bled for 2 months straight, dad after day before she got a Family Practitioner to check her out (btw, and this was an MD she saw after we moved up here. The ob-gyn's down in West TN. would NOT check her out while she was bleeding).

It's really very interesting the contrast of how the medical profession treat PWA's up here as opposed to their Southern counterparts.

I think your change in diet (and lifestyle?) might very well have helped in the boosting of your immune system. I wish it did the same for me :

As a longtime vegetarian (eating eggs and cheese though, but no fish or meat), I've been interested in the overall quality of the food I ate and have bought mostly organic food for many years. This definitely was good for me but it hasn't made me stronger when hiv hit me.

So I guess your choice of food combines with other elements, some of which, like stress, workload and psychological wellbeing must have an effect. I know in my case that the stress factor has not played in my favor and I therefore started to train for a different job.

Still waiting for my cd levels to climb further up I stick to my veggie diet and exercise regularly. Have even started to do weights to beef up a bit because of lypo attack.

That's funny what you mention about stress. Even though I only work part-time at WFM, it is one of the most stressful jobs I've ever had. There's a huge amount of pressure to please customers. and in this area where I work, these people have more money than God, and less sense than, well, not sure about the comparison. And I have some customers who are extremely anal about the amount of product thery want.

As an example, if someone asks for 1 1/2 lbs. of a certain fish, they want 1.50, and not 1.55 or 1.53. I've actually been told to shave it down until it's the amount that was asked for.

But, I need the job (first time since 1994 we've had Dental/Vision coverage) and the 20% off of the groceries we buy.

I shop at Whole Foods quite a bit (Walnut Creek, CA store) and eat lots of organic yogurt, high fiber cereal and especially the Hain brand of frozen veggie bowls (I take these to work). IIRC, the water buffalo yogurt has a fair amount of fat in it, so that's why gave that a pass.

I'm also a sucker for the chicken chili verde and pesto rice that's right by the hot soups.

I've been avoiding the fresh fruits and vegetables, mainly because of low CD4 counts (with the exception of bananas). Probably not the best idea, but i'm a bit leery of picking up anything until my counts are better.

One thing I have found is, although I am lactose intolant, I can eat organic yoghurt Sounds strange, but it works for me.

thought you might like an explanation, mark

Many people who can't tolerate milk, because of a protein allergy or lactose intolerance can eat yogurt. The culturing process makes yogurt more digestible than milk. The live active cultures create lactase, the enzyme lactose-intolerant people lack, and another enzyme (beta-galactosidase) also helps improve lactose absorption in lactase-deficient people. Bacterial enzymes created by the culturing process start to digest the milk protein casein,this makes it easier to absorb, less likely to trigger an allergic reaction.While the amount varies according to the brand, generally yogurt has less lactose than milk. The culturing process breaks down the milk sugar lactose into glucose and galactose, two sugars which lactose intolerant people can absorb.

organic yogurt has higher levels of active cultures, hence, it is even more digestible than regular yogurt. Also...non organic yogurt usually has amounts of starch & other gluten containing thickeners added to it - these might, for someone with coeliacs, trigger an allergic response.

how backwards. added crap costs less than crapless. "less is more" or "less costs more"

It actually takes more to grow "organic". Non organic they just spray chemicals around to get rid of the pesky bugs, Growing organic foods you need to take a different approach which takes more time and a different means then the other places. Plus the fact that organic is healthier it comes with an added price. I really don't like the term "organic" , I tend to say I grow my food naturally.no chemicals, sprays, or fertilizers.

Because I am living with PI-induced Type 2 Diabetes I figured that Fat-Free Plain yoghurt would be a best choice for my diet.

I use yoghurt to make breakfast smoothies with fruits, juices, water and 1% milk.

What I didnít realize was that Fat-Free Yoghurt contains cornstarch as a thickener, which is like adding sugar to it. In addition, it contains concentrated whey. That gives it double the cholesterol of 1% Plain yoghurt. 1% Plain yoghurt has no additives to the milk product and bacterial culture.

It actually takes more to grow "organic". Non organic they just spray chemicals around to get rid of the pesky bugs, Growing organic foods you need to take a different approach which takes more time and a different means then the other places. Plus the fact that organic is healthier it comes with an added price. I really don't like the term "organic" , I tend to say I grow my food naturally.no chemicals, sprays, or fertilizers.

Hey everyone. Right now (well, this half hour) on ABC World News with Charles Gibson: THE TRUTH ABOUT ORGANIC FOODS

SFscruff

I've been making a quart or more of yogurt at home in a little Dannon incubator for about 15 years. It's really fun to do -- heating up the milk in a water bath to 195 F for 15 min., letting it cool, adding a cup of starter from the last batch, stirring, smelling that good warm milk + culture smell, pouring it into the cups, snapping on the lids, putting them in the incubator, setting the timer for 10 hours, BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! and yogurt. I've been using the same culture/starter 'mother' all this time. The taste is incredible and there are no additives, sugar, etc. unless I stir something in after it's made.

I also line a colander with a few layers of cheesecloth and put the yogurt in and set it over a container in the fridge and the next day the whey has drained out and the soft cheese is like cream cheese in consistency, but tastes fresh and not chalky.

If I'm feeling really adventurous, I make fist sized balls of the soft yogurt cheese, add herbs from the garden, and wrap them in cheesecloth and tie them tightly with kitchen twine and stick them in a wooden box in the fridge with holes drilled in the lid and a few weeks later, it's about the consistency of a goat chevre (spellchecker just suggested the word 'chevy,' priceless), with a pleasingly complex flavor.

I'm going to get a bunch of lecturing replies to this which I don't really want to read, but I use unpasteurized milk from Strauss dairy in Marin County. Yeah, there is a risk of all sorts of pathogens, but I've never had any GI problems ever. I wouldn't recommend unpasteurized dairy products to anyone with a compromised immune system though, the risk is too great. My CD4 nadir was 12 in 1998, so I've had a very compromised immune system and didn't catch any critters from the unpasteurized products. BUT DON'T USE UNPASTEURIZED DAIRY PRODUCTS YOURSELVES! I'm so becoming my parents, 'Do as we say and not as we do!'

There are a number of 'foodies' in SF who hit the farmer's markets together, go on culinary adventures and share ideas and experiences. One of us has an olive oil press -- delicious although so damned slow! I make my own vinegars from cider too, that 'mother' is going on 20 years.